The Saarland was never really 'independant', but it was on the way. The 'Europäisches Saarstatut' planned 1954 to create an european independant area, but a plebiscite voted for a union with Germany.
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knutMay 30 '12 at 18:25

What do u mean as "join its colonist ruler"? Do u mean only rejoining as a colony or to become a part of the metropoly's state or join some kind of union?
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AnixxSep 3 '14 at 20:08

Belarus is still an independent country. The "Union State" is just a vague political concept, which is dead for all practical purposes.
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quant_devMay 30 '12 at 12:04

1

Oh yeah? Just read the sign on the passport control cabins in Moscow airports. For several years it said "Only for citizens of Union State of Russia and Belarus". So one practical purpose was the length of the queue. Today the sign is different though. It says "Only for citizens of TS". "TS" meaning "Tamozhenny Soyuz" that is "Customs Union" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…)
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horshMay 30 '12 at 18:33

4

@horsh those countries have an agreement about special custom regulations and it doesn't conflict with each state's independency. For example UK-USA agreements on social security or signal intelligence don't mean that former british colonies (US) somewhat lost their independence and joined former ruler (UK). I agree with you that members of Soviet Union were not independent. But I don't think it's applicable for Union State or Customs Union.
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default localeMay 31 '12 at 3:50

Scotland was "ruled" by Edward Long Shanks, then under Robert the Bruce became free. In 1707, Scotland opted to join with England. The group chosen to discus the acts of union were chosen by a pro union Duke of Queensberry, and were mostly pro union.

Another case I remember reading was about Eadric Streona. He was a traitor for both the English and the Danes. He joined Knut against the English, then joined the English against the Danes in the battle of Battle of Assandun. During that battle, he deserted and joined the Danes again, securing their victory. When England was under Knuts thumb, Knut, who knew the Eadric was not trust-worthy, had him executed. This example might not be what you are looking for, because Eadric didn't switch sides because of a scene of loyalty or necessity, but rather for monetary and power gain. Also, Eadric wasn't a king of a country, but rather the Alderman of Mercia, the equivalent of an earl. (earl came into use after Knut appointed Jarls, but the English couldn't pronounce Jarl, and so said earl.) On the other hand Mercia was still very much a separate entity, and an earldom was very much a sovereign power thanks the the decentralizing effect of feudalism.

Some time after the unification of China by Qin, Ren Xiao and Zhao Tuo were sent to colonise the barbarian region of Nanyue around present day Guangzhou. Zhao Tuo succeeded Ren Xiao around the time when revolts began to occur against Qin, eventually signalling Nanyue's independence by declaring himself King and raiding surrounding provinces. When Liu Bang reunited China, the diplomat Lu Jia persuaded Zhao Tuo to submit to Han, although he retained his title of King. However, after Liu Bang's death, his widow Empress Lü cut off trade in iron goods with Nanyue, as a result of which Zhao Tuo declared himself Emperor of Nanyue, dispatching troops to attack Han and sending bribes to nearby chiefs to encourage them to switch allegiances. Empress Lü sent troops to attack him but disease led to the failure of the mission. After Empress Lü's death, Emperor Wen took the throne. Once more, Lu Jia persuaded Zhao Tuo to submit to Han, renouncing his title of Emperor and returning to being King.

Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are Netherlands Antilles islands which have rejoined the Netherlands following the breakup of the Netherlands Antilles as a country. The other 3 Antilles islands have opted for nationhood, although still as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The country had been effectively independent for 14 years. A whites-only government had unilaterally declared independence from Britain in 1965.

But in December 1979, as part of the deal by which transition to majority rule was to take place, the Rhodesian parliament voted itself out of existence. Power was handed back to London and an old-style colonial governor (in the considerable shape of Lord Soames) was despatched to Africa to take over.

The flag of British Rhodesia reverted to the Union Flag (with Rhodesian arms) instead of the flags (predominantly the green-white-green tricolor) which had been flown by the de facto independent states of Rhodesia and (briefly) Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.

It was always intended to be a temporary arrangement, to allow for free and fair elections to take place. The elections were held a few months later and independence was duly celebrated in Zimbabwe in April 1980.

In 1860 the Dominican Republic, some 15 years after independence and in turmoil, asked to be readmitted to the Spanish Empire. It seems that debts and the threat of invasion prompted the request, which was readily agreed to by the Spanish.

The relationship quickly broke down and the territory was soon in revolt. Spain was unable to reassert control and within five years the country was again independent.